THE NME AWARDS ARE BACK!

Charlotte Cory talks about the NME nominations that have been released for the annual awards on February the 18th.
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The NME awards are back again. Last year, we saw Arctic Monkeys dominating the nominations however, after Kasabian’s album 48:13 they are overshadowing this years awards with eight nominations. 

Nominated for the top award ‘Best British band’ include: Alt J, previous winners Arctic Monkeys, Chvrches, Kasabian, upcoming rock band Royal Blood and lastly The Libertines who reunited in 2014. The other big award is for best album. The nominations for this include: Jamie T—Carry On The Grudge, Kasabian—48:13, La Roux—Trouble In Paradise, Royal Blood—Royal Blood, Run Jewels—Run The Jewels 2 and St Vincent—St Vincent.  

Out of all the nominations I believe ’The Best Live Band’ will be hardest to predict who will win as they’ve all proved their worthy of winning this award. 

The nominations are: Arctic Monkeys, Fat White Family, Foo Fighters, Kasabian, Royal Blood and The Libertines. The  NME awards should be the most interesting, exciting and captivating yet. With comeback artists like The Libertines back in the nominations to fantastic new bands like Royal Blood.

For more information head to the NME website.

Made In Dagenham review, 28/10/2014

Ellie Bannerman reviews Made In Dagenham, the new musical playing at the Adelphi theatre following the story of the Ford factory workers who fought for equal pay.

It's so unusual these days that I go and see a show having very little knowledge of what it's about - being a musical theatre nerd I'm pretty much word perfect on all the songs before I even enter the theatre - so being able to see the newest addition to the West End, Made In Dagenham, from a completely fresh perspective was super exciting!

The show follows the story of Rita O'Grady and the workers at the Ford factory in Dagenham who rise up to fight for equal pay for women. It's an inspiring story which makes for a fun night out, especially since the cast are very talented. A particular stand out for me was Sophie Isaacs who plays Sandra; her voice was outstanding and she performed the role excellently. Gemma Arterton was also great as Rita O'Grady; a pleasant surprise as sometimes when seeing a famous face in a show you are left disappointed.

Made In Dagenham has a mixed score - some songs were really great while others lacked interest and made me wish they would be over sooner! I really liked 'Everybody Out' - a fun song at the end of act one which really reminded me of 'Seize the Day' from Newsies. Unfortunately it was somewhat outnumbered by a few other more average songs. I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to cut a few songs, as I did think the show seemed a bit long in places and I did find myself wanting them to get to the more exciting moments of the show quicker.

Overall, I'd say this show was good, but not amazing. I'm not in any great hurry to go back and see it again, nor will I be singing the songs for months to come, but if you're looking for a fun night out at the theatre then you can't really go wrong with this. It’s had a decent run, but I didn’t really see it becoming one of those classic shows that never closes. I was also super happy with my seat - I got a £25 stalls ticket (which was right at the back) but could see all the stage with no trouble. I also got to move forwards about three rows due to the huge number of free seats in front of me, which always puts me in a good mood (a bit sad, I know!).

[3/5]

Read more on my blog: heylookitstheellie.wordpress.com

Bombay Bicycle Club review, 13/12/2014

It’s not often you get to see the last concert at a major music venue and Bombay Bicycle Club’s send off to Earls Court definitely didn’t disappoint. By Ellie Bannerman

Being able to see the last concert at an iconic venue is not something you get to do often, so having the chance to see Bombay Bicycle Club perform at Earls Court on its final night was definitely something I won’t forget in a hurry. The atmosphere was incredible – everyone seemed to know they were about to witness something special. Support came from Sivu, who performed well, but I wasn’t too sure if their music was really good for getting a crowd worked up before a concert. Peace, on the other hand, were great and I definitely got more excited listening to them before the main act. I’m still completely obsessed with their song Gen Strange (which was featured in my December Playlist), and luckily it was just as good live as it is on the album.

After the two support bands it was time for Bombay Bicycle Club to come on stage – and they did not disappoint! Opening with Overdone they instantly got everyone having an amazing time and they had clearly put a lot of thought into their staging as the lighting and projected images at the back of the stage were really well done. Their set focused mainly on their two most recent albums which was really good for me as I wasn’t too familiar with their earlier work, but even the songs I didn’t know so well were brilliant. My highlights of the set were Shuffle, Home By Now, Luna and Carry Me (which made an amazing encore!). It was also really cool to get to see David Gilmour on stage with the band to perform Wish You Were Here – a Pink Floyd classic!

Special mention also has to go to their use of confetti, for some reason I get very excited about collecting little bits of sparkly tissue paper (very sad, I know). Unfortunately we didn’t get to keep our tickets – they were taken off us as we entered the venue which really annoyed me because I like collecting them too! Another thing that could have improved the experience would be the enforcement of height restrictions on audience members… I couldn’t really see the stage at all – it seemed all Bombay’s fans were about 6ft and despite my attempts at jumping to see over them I did not really succeed. Obviously this didn’t really ruin the experience too much –  I still had a great time and would definitely see the band again – but maybe I’d try and get there before all the tall people!

[8/10]

Read more on my blog: heylookitstheellie.wordpress.com

The Theory of Everything

Oscar season is fast approaching and amongst the British stars nominated for ‘Best Actor’ is Eddie Redmayne for his performance in, ’The Theory of Everything’ in which he plays Professor Stephen Hawking. This film is reviewed by Violet Daniels below. 

The Theory of Everything is a British made film, directed by James Marsh and staring Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox and David Thewlis. The biographical drama follows closely the novel, ’Travelling to Infinity: My life with Stephen’ which is written by Jane Hawking, previous wife of Professor Stephen Hawking. 

Stephen Hawking is known internationally for his astounding contribution to theoretical physics and the understanding of gravitational theorems and his work in the field of general relativity. But above all he is known throughout the world for being a medical phenomenon. Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of just 21 and was given just a few years to live. Initially, he and everyone around him was devastated. However Stephen learnt to love life with everything he had, claiming that, ‘before my condition was diagnosed, I had been very bored with life.’ After his diagnosis Stephen was hit with the realisation that he may never complete his PhD. Despite this he did achieve his PhD and after his diagnosis went on to marry and have three children.  In present day, Stephen continues to be an inspiration to many and in doing so provides us all with a life story which is fundamental as it  embodies the life of one of the greatest scientists in human history.  

The Theory of Everything is a phenomenal film. Often, the word ‘phenomenal’ is over used to describe just above average films, books and TV shows ect. However I saw Eddie Redmayne’s performance in The Theory of Everything and it was phenomenal. The stance, the facial expressions, and the mannerisms all reflected my imagination and how I have always perceived Stephen Hawking. Before filming Eddie Redmayne even spent time with Stephen Hawking and this has been proved to be affective as his astounding performance mirrors the very person that is Stephen Hawing. As a result of his performance, Eddie is nominated for best actor in the annual Oscar academy awards in America. The film itself is expertly directed by James Marsh. In his directing the film depicts eloquently the life of Stephen Hawking as he is crippled by the fatal motor neurone disease which impacts his own life and the people around him. The film takes the viewer on a journey of discovery behind the man we all know of, but have never really learnt much about. Before watching this film, I had no idea of Stephen Hawking’s life outside of Science and I was shocked to discover the extent of his personal life and the challenges he and his family faced. 

Before watching this film, I had no idea of Stephen Hawking’s life outside of Science and I was shocked to discover the extent of his personal life and the challenges he and his family faced. 

The film follows Stephen from his first days as a young student at Cambridge University when he is studying for a PhD. Not even half way through his PhD he is given the news that he has motor neurone disease, known amongst most medics of the time to be incurable and with a life expectancy of just a few years. The film shows Stephen as he cuts himself off from his fellow friends at Cambridge and his girlfriend, Jane Wilde. Thus through expert cinematography the viewer realises how isolated Stephen Hawking became during the years of his life which should have been full of adventure and discovery. However this step back did not stop him in his road to completing a PhD.

Through the help of his friends and the support of his girlfriend Jane, Stephen is able to grab life with both hands as he attempts to fight and tackle his illness. As the film develops, so does Stephen Hawking’s condition. With time he deteriorates as his body cannot carry out normal day to day bodily functions. Gradually he needs more and more help from others and has to rely on the support of his (then wife) Jane. 

The film itself stresses the strain Stephen’s condition puts on Jane and his children at the time. Jane has to spend a lot of her time looking after Stephen and sometimes the children are abandoned for the sake of Stephen’s condition. The Theory of Everything portrays this disease to have a greater impact than I initially assumed. The disease controls Stephen’s life and everyone else's lives around him. In particular the film focuses on the relationship between Stephen and Jane. Jane is played by actress Felicity Jones, her expert performance enables the audience to realise the strain which a life threatening disease can put on a relationship. Furthermore the film manages to depict throughout the constant struggle that Stephen’s condition brings to his own family. The acting from all points of view is astoundingly life like, as being part of an audience for a screening of The Theory of Everything I can confirm that the film made me feel completely involved with the tragic, real life story which Stephen still carries with him even to this day. 

As the annual Academy Oscar Awards approaches all eyes are on Eddie Redmayne for his chance to pick up an award for best male actor in this film. Currently only 16 British male actors have won this prestigious award. However for now the ceremony still awaits as the battle against Benedict Cumberbatch and his role as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game  and Eddie Redmayne and his performance as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything awaits a verdict. I have seen both nominated performances and forgive me if I am biased, but I would most definitely give the award to Eddie Redmayne. Additionally, only recently did Eddie Redmayne pick up the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and also he won the award for Best Actor in the SAG (screen actors guild award) to which he dedicated this to, “those people around the world living with ALS, to those who have lost their lives to this brutal disease." Hopes remain high for Eddie Redmayne and this astounding performance of a generation, however only time will tell us whether he will receive this award.

The best-selling albums of 2014 and what to look forward to this coming year

Franki Dean reviews the best-selling albums and singles of 2014 and music releases to look forward to this year.

Ed Sheeran’s X was the biggest selling album of 2014, selling over 1,689,000 copies in the UK. X’s sales were higher than any other artist since Adele’s 21 4 years ago. Ed managed to stay at the top of the charts for 12 weeks. Along with this, X was made the most downloaded album of the year and sold over 214,000 copies in the week before Christmas too.

Sam Smith’s album In The Lonely Hour stayed at Number 2 and sold nearly 1,248,000 copies in the UK. Sam joins Ed Sheeran as one of only two artists to sell over a million albums in the UK in 2014. Sam also became the only artist in 2014 to sell over one million albums in both the UK and the US.  

George Ezra’s Wanted On Voyage is the third biggest selling album of 2014, selling over 678,000 copies in the UK. Wanted On Voyage spent 26 weeks in the Top 10, topping the Official Albums Chart for two weeks in October, 14 weeks after its release.  Coldplay’s Ghost Stories managed to settle at Number 5. This was set to be the fastest-selling album of the year, but was overtaken by Ed Sheeran’s album X. Ghost Stories sold 168,000 copies in its first week of release. This scored Coldplay their sixth UK Number 1 album and as of the 1st January 2015, has sold nearly 544,000 copies. 

Finally, one of the best selling albums as of late 2014 was The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Soundtrack. Featuring the voices of Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Charlie XCX and Jennifer Lawrence herself, the soundtrack was already set for the top 20 before it had even been released. In it’s first week on the charts, the soundtrack had already sold over 200,000 copies. In the US, the spooking Soundtrack stayed at Number 3, just below Taylor Swift’s 1989 on Billboard for 3 weeks. 

NOW, IF YOU’RE TIRED OF READING ABOUT MUSIC FROM LAST YEAR, HERE ARE SOME ALBUM’S YOU CAN LOOK OUT FOR IN 2015:

Charlie XCX’ s Sucker is the third studio album by Charlie XCX which was supposed to be released in December 2014 but was pushed back to January 2015.

Mark Ronson’s Uptown Special is his fourth album set to be released on January 26th meaning we don't have too long to wait until we are able to hear more music from him. 

Coldplay’s  A Head Full of Dreams is the band’s seventh album. This album could be quite a bittersweet moment for their fans as Chris Martin has insinuated that it could be their final album.

10 Films to Look Out For in 2015

2014 was a great year for cinema, some might even say the best in some while. But can 2015 produce something even better? Let’s see!

01. Birdman

Release Date: 2nd Jan

Much like his character in the film, Michael Keaton’s career, only really remembered for that one iconic superhero role, returns from the depths of inconspicuousness with one triumphant performance. Add the disembodied voice of Keaton’s conscience, fantastic supporting performances from the likes of Edward Norton and Emma Stone, and some jaw-dropping visuals; and you’ve got yourself a film for the ages.

02. Whiplash

Release Date: 16th Jan

A thriller about drumming sounds boring, however the solid stream of five star reviews and multiple Oscar nominations say otherwise. The general consensus is that JK Simmons gives the performance of his career and that this is the greatest musical film (with no actual musical numbers) ever made.

03. Foxcatcher

Release Date: 17th Jan

Yet another dark and edgy biographical drama, this time focusing on the apparently dark and edgy world of Olympic wrestling. Fangirls in the audience will swoon at the appearance of hunk-of-the-month, Channing Tatum, while film buffs will enjoy an unrecognisable Steve Carrel, as he joins the Keaton/Simmons pantheon of actors who’re suddenly godlike.

04. Inherent Vice

Release Date: 30th Jan

Based on one of the better liked works of popular avant-garde novelist, Thomas Pynchon is one thing. But with the addition of director Paul Thomas Anderson (a seal of quality), and you’ve got yourself a film that needs to be seen. So far, this looks to be yet another work of his that the director can safely stow under his belt, and the roster of screwball PTA token characters are ever present, including Joaquin Phoenix returning as the frontman. This truly is a day to mark in your calendar!

05. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Release Date: 1st May

Joss Whedon has tackled the first computer-animated film ever, kept series like Buffy and Angel fresh after countless seasons, found a way to resurrect his beloved space-western and broken box office records with Avengers Assemble. However, with Ultron, Whedon faces possibly his biggest challenge yet: meeting the inflated expectations of fans with a film so hyped that it already developed an internet meme before release. You can’t blame the fans, though: a trailer shows Quicksilver, ballet and Hulkbuster. How can we help being anything other than ecstatic?

06. Mad Max: Fury Road

Release Date: 15th May

After the lead actor went cuckoo and disappeared off everyone’s radar, it’s no wonder George Miller’s beloved post-apunkalyptic franchise went so silent for so long. Or maybe it’s because Max’s latest batty outing was in the works being perfected. Based on early footage and the frankly genius tagline of “What a lovely day!”, we suspect the latter.

07. Jurassic World

Release Date: 12th June

Doing for dinosaurs what Jaws did for sharks AGAIN, but with the addition of Chris Pratt and a genetically-modified super dinosaur this time round. All the key components are there, and the filmmakers definitely have captured the scale that the first one had. However is it possible that they’ve managed to pull off that same sense of wonder that the original had? Probably not, but the director’s previous works include Safety Not Guaranteed, so we should expect something decent.

08. Minions

Release Date: 10th Jul

The yellow pill-men solely responsible for making the Despicable Me franchise so popular now have their own movie. It’ll make millions, people will love it. MOVING ON!

09. Ant Man

Release Date: 17th July

It’s unlikely that director, Peyton Reed, will be able to breathe the same life that Scott Pilgrim and Hot Fuzz director, Edgar Wright could have done with his script. With that being said, Disney/Marvel appear to be on a roll with their ideas and execution (evidenced by the fact that they made me and countless others feel for a raccoon and a tree), and the two leads, in the form of Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas make for an acting combination not to be sneered at.

10. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Release Date: 18th Dec

This is the film that everyone is looking forward to . JJ Abrams makes another turn rebooting a beloved sci-fi franchise, this time, under the supervision of the House of Mouse. As is the way with most of Abrams’ projects, little is known, however a teaser showcases practical effects fused with crisp CGI, football robots, impractical lightsabers and the Millennium Falcon. If this isn’t the most profitable film of the year, then we’ll eat a fridge.

Converse All Star?

As a college student you will see them everywhere; this is what I think of Converse All-Star trainers - By Hannah Brown

As a college student you will see converse trainers practically every day, but what is it about them that makes practically everyone wants or already owns a pair. 

  

I personally have a pair of red converse all star hi top trainers which I’ve had for about a year. Although I love them I can be sometimes found surfing the internet, gazing longingly at the varying styles and colours, hoping to find a sale. I love converse trainers for a number of reasons.

One is that converse can be worn with practically anything, even the Doctor showed that they went with a suit (although I wouldn’t recommend wearing converse with a suit in a formal situation, such as a job interview).

CONVERSE LAST! This I think is a universal reason why convers trainers are good, as in the time it would take me to wear out two pairs of other trainer, I still have my convers, which if you can get a pair in a sale is a great deal (although though this is if you are not my brother who had his for a few months before he managed to make holes in them, but I’m pretty sure if you gave him a Nokia phone he could break it).

One of the main things I really do love about converse all star trainers is that due to their style it has led to a rise of people using their artistic talents to personalise their trainers. I do not have the guts to do that myself, but it is amazing to actually see what some people have achieved. Whether it’s a random design, or a tribute to a television show or film the designs are always inspired. I don’t know of any other item clothing that has led to such a rise in people expressing their individuality.

They Ara onto something good

In a year where companies are pumping out new smartphones, Google’s Project Ara attempts to introduce a new way to upgrade your phone– By James Sullivan

If you were to ask someone what device they relied on most, it’s more than likely they’d say their smartphone. Why wouldn’t you? Each year the major companies create devices with more and more features, yet the variety is running dry.

Google has stepped up to the mark to try and revolutionise the smartphone. Project Ara, which began work in 2013, is aiming to develop the modular smartphone.

It’s not as complicated as it sounds. Simply put it’s effectively “build your own smartphone”. The device has interchangeable “modules” which can swapped for the features you desire. So to upgrade your camera, processor or memory simply requires to buy a new module.

It gives a whole new element to smartphone customization. It effectively means you never need to buy a new phone, just upgrade the parts.

Other companies will also be able to create modules, so it does seem consumers will have the maximum amount of choice possible.

The device, set for testing this year, will have variable costs (obviously). The basic cost is estimated at between $50-$100, though upgrading will cost far more.

While not having the appeal of a popular brand, Project Ara could have the potential to change the way we buy and upgrade our phones. Certainly if you’ve always been keen on having the latest phone hardware, this could be the cheaper alternative.

Series Spotlight: Once Upon A Time

From the writers of Lost and One Tree Hill comes an award winning fairy-tale drama series set to change the way we see our favourite characters and childhood classics. Here are our top 11 reasons why you should give it a try...

1. The Cast: The key to Once Upon a Time’s success in America—and hopefully soon it’s success in the UK—is the amazing acting talent that makes up the ‘Once’ ensemble. With multiple nominations and four award wins, it’s becoming a beloved series. TV Guide’s award for ‘Favourite Villain’’, for instance, was given to the well-deserved Lana Parrilla who plays The Evil Queen alongside People’s Choice Award nominee Ginnifer Goodwin (Snow White). With the highly praised Jennifer Morrison playing the all important main character, Emma, and Thor actor Josh Dallas playing Prince Charming as well—and if that’s not enough to tempt you, then Bucky’s (or Sebastian Stan as he goes by) guest role appearance could just make you want to give it a go.

2. The Perfect Balance of Mythology: The show keeps a great model  of storytelling, balancing dual story-lines in a single episode: one from the pre-cursed ‘Enchanted Forest’ and present day ‘Storybrooke’. 

3. Storylines: The show has a way of keeping you hooked on a story: with twists and turns on classic fairytales, but also with favourite heroes not always playing the good guy, and vice-versa. You might just be surprised as to who your favourite character’s might turn out to be.

4. The First Season: As the show’s slowest season in terms of pace in storyline, which some may find a little infuriating (but hopefully that’s only a few), the first season gives viewers a chance to fully and truly understand the story and introduce the main characters properly. 

5. Strong Female Roles: Once’s extensive cast, many of which are women, play interestingly flawed, independent and strong characters that you wouldn’t expect to see in a fairy-tale world. They’re relatable and interesting personas that almost seem like they could be real people.

6. The Dialogue: Be careful or you’ll miss this one. The witty, sassy and ironic dialogue is extremely engaging and will have you smiling like a Cheshire cat. 

7. Aesthetic Appeal: Not only do the actors all have visual appeal, the Primetime Emmy Award nominated costumes and make-up will have you wishing you were from one of the classic tales.

8. Continuity!: You might not always spot it, but the show is extremely clever at making little references, whether it be with home design for characters or the mention of specific things or places (ahem, Tallahassee)... 

9. Your Favourite Characters Coming to Life: You’ll be meeting: Snow White, Prince Charming, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella, Mulan, Peter Pan, The Mad Hatter… Need I say more?

10. It United Prince Charming With His Snow White: The chemistry that the main couple present is far from fake as the show united Goodwin and Dallas, and they are now happily married with a child. How’s that for a real life fairy-tale?

11. Future Appearances: With Frozen favourites, Cruella DeVil, Maleficent and Ursula on their way in season 4, you know you’re in for a good ride.

By Lucy Baker

Long Distance Life

Being separated from people you care about is never easy. Phone calls, texts, e-mails, Skype, Facebook and apps like Snapchat may be able to ease up the communication barrier, but the physical distance between you will always be a devastating obstacle. So how can you keep your friends, family and loved ones closer; and what are the perks of long distance anyway? By Lucy Baker

You may be wondering: ‘what could possibly be redeemable in a relationship like that?’ and the answer is—of course—the person. 

Although you might go through the ‘six emotional stages’ of a long-distance relationship: Anticipation, Frustration, Denial, Hopelessness, Anger and (the best part) Joy, at the end of the day you’re always thinking of that person and why it is that you want to keep them in your life so badly that you would sacrifice a safer, ‘easier’ homeland relationship or just lose contact with them altogether. 

The key to keeping them close is communication and trust. Despite possible time-zone differences, work and college, you should always make time for loved-ones. Make time here and there to send an email or make a call, and every so often maybe even send a handwritten letter or even a ‘care package’ filled with their favourite sweets or a new shirt, or just something to remind them that you’re thinking of them. Not only does this help with your communication skills, it’s fun for the both of you and will hopefully be reciprocated by your missed one.

Of course, we’re not ignorant of the fact that you’re going to miss that friendly shoulder to cry on or those special hugs that only they can give, so as much as you can afford time and money wise, make an effort to schedule some visits when you can. 

But what about when you can’t visit one another: what are the perks and distractions you can do then? Sure, you’ll be missing them a lot, but the less frequent your time is together, the more you will cherish it. Additionally, you don’t always have to look your best if you don’t want to, and your communication skills are forced to improve in order to have a successful relationship. LDR’s also mean you can be independent in your relationship, and have plenty of ’me’ time when you need it. 

But probably one of the best things that it can give you is the knowledge that if you can survive the distance, you can probably survive anything. Your relationship is a bond set for life, so don’t ever forget why you want those special people in your life.

Top 10 Broken New Year Resolutions

We all love to start the year with some new, ambitious new year resolutions—but how many of us actually keep them?

The most popular New Year resolutions at the start of the New Year are (in no particular order):

• Lose weight and get fit 
• Quit smoking
• Learn something new
• Eat healthier and diet 
• Get out of debt and save money
• Spending more time with family
• Travel to new places
• Be less stressed
• Volunteer more
• Drink less

Losing Weight and Getting Fit
This resolution is due to all the over eating on chocolate and cookies over the Christmas time. Each January, fitness clubs offer deals and promotions for those who want to get fit. However, by mid-February it’s recorded that around 60% of gym memberships go unused and attendance is back to normal.

Quit Smoking
Only an estimated 15% of people who try to quit manage to stay cigarette-free six months later.

Learn Something New
Initially, the thought of learning a new skill is exciting and rewarding as well as enjoyable. However, after a while, you’re likely to realise it takes up too much of your time and that, for example, ordering out is a lot easier than learning how to cook properly.

Eat Healthier and Diet
The problem with this resolution is that people take it too far by forcing themselves onto restricting diets they can’t possibly keep. It’s more likely to last if you try dieting in moderation.

Getting out of Debt
December is always the most budget-unfriendly month of the year. New Year is always the turning point for everyone and is where we all decided that this next year will be the turning point when regarding our finances. However, the majority of us find ourselves spending our money again before we know it.

Spending More Time with the Family
The beginning of a new year is always an ideal time to reconnect with the family you haven’t seen for months. But by the time February comes along you realise that you haven’t spent any extra time with your family—probably because you don’t keep in contact with those specific family members for a reason!

Travelling
A new year is always a good time to plan your year in terms of travelling, what new exotic destinations attract your attention. However, at the time you’re skint from Christmas and all the parties in December so any travelling will have to hold off till later in the year but by then your plans and ideas may have completely changed.

Being Less Stressed
Work and family obligations can always be overwhelming, especially in the new year when all the family want to get together. Less stress can make you healthier and happier but unfortunately is going to be one of the first resolutions you break. You feel obligated to plan out your entire year within the first 24 hours of the new year and that is definitely not helping your stress levels.

Volunteering
To start the new year correctly, you might want to resolve in a helping hand… Perhaps helping to build a house or care for an animal or help at a homeless shelter. Volunteering is a very rewarding resolution if you stay committed. But even the most compassionate of us can fall back on our commitments.

Drinking Less
Drinking less is always good for you regarding your health and your wallet! However we just can’t seem to help ourselves and most of us just stick to dry-January—which seems much more reasonable!

Britain’s budding boozer– his plans to save the UK

In an interesting career turn, the comedian Al Murray is running for Parliament. Is it a comedic stunt or is there something more to Murray’s plight?- By James Sullivan

The small town of South Thanet in Kent has become the scene of a surprising protest vote in the run up to this year’s general election. 

It already faces the turmoil of the UKIP leader Nigel Farage attempting to overthrow conservative candidate Laura Sandys, however another candidate has entered the fray. Al Murray, the pub landlord. 

While at first glance it appears to be a comedic stunt, considering his exaggerative satirical policies. Yet Murray represents a far larger movement and it seems his potential rival is UKIP, whose leader was hoping to make an impact in the General Election.

Murray’s motivation is political, as he feels “the system is broken, we all know it is”. Murray is aiming at the people who don’t feel the need to vote, so voting for Murray is  to represent the unpopularity for the current political system.

It’s also why his newly formed Free United Kingdom Party can be so outlandish. It’s logo (an upside down Pound Sign), as well as some of the policies such as

immigration, are a clear mocking of UKIP and of the current desires British voters have. 

The Pub Landlord has policies on popular subjects such as immigration and Europe, yet they are so sarcastic it’s clear Murray is mocking the attitude of UK voters.

While his potential to be elected is as slim as the Pub Landlord joining Alcoholics Anonymous, it still proves to be an interesting contest. 

Murray’s target audience is arguably similar to UKIP’s– voters disillusioned with the current political system, so Murray could have potentially decent popularity in addition to the fact he is a popular comedian. 

What would be most intriguing to see is how close Murray can get to beating Nigel Farage. I mean if Nigel Farage can get beaten by a comedian, what hope does he have for being elected in Parliament?

Farage doesn’t seem phased by his latest competitor, even tweeting “The more, the merrier!” From retrospect it seems like a comical clash of two pint pinning politicians. Yet Al Murray’s character is just a façade for a intelligent man who is harnessing the audience politicians neglect– those who don’t vote.  

Could Murray begin a new political career? Who else could join FUKP? While Murray may not face success at this general election, his presence and popularity indicate public dissatisfaction. 

Why South Thanet?

• Murray competing with Nigel Farage is an attack at UKIP
• The Conservative MP for South Thanet (Laura Sandys) will stand down at the General Election
• Farage is local to South Thanet
• The seat is marginal–  the Conservatives didn’t win with a large majority

FUKP policies:

• UK to leave the EU by 2025 and the edge of the solar system by 2050
• Unemployment causes crime, so all the unemployed to be jailed
• Britain must become a worse country so it is less popular for immigration
• The cost of a pint is to be lowered to 1p (although crisps remain the same)
• South Thanet to be made into the Capital of the Uk
• Brick up the Channel Tunnel (using British bricks)
• Alex Salmond made First Minister of Norwich
• Greece to be bought and operated by Kent County Council
• The British Pound would be revalued to £1.10

“FIX SOCIETY. PLEASE.”

A report by Madeleine Bishop on the recent suicide of transgender teenager, Leelah Alcorn, and the media discussion  and public reaction that followed it. Should College teach more about gender?

February is LGBT History Month, a time to celebrate the lives and achievements of the gay community. In college, the LGBTQ society will be arranging a series of events to celebrate and raise awareness - from drag races to fake weddings. 

At this time, though, it also seems appropriate to consider the darker side of growing up gay, bi or trans - in late December the suicide of American transgender teenager, Leelah Alcorn, took the internet by storm. 

Alcon had felt “like a girl trapped in a boy’s body" since the age of four - but when she came out to her mother at age fourteen, she was told that “God doesn’t make mistakes” and was sent to religious-based conversion therapy. This, as Leelah described in her suicide note, helped not at all and comprised of “more Christians telling me that I was selfish and wrong and that I should look to God for help.”

In order to better ease coming out as transgender, Leelah first came out at school as a gay male. According to a childhood friend, Alcorn received a positive reception from many at school, although her parents were appalled. Embarrassed, they removed her from school, and even social media, her phone and her friends until the end of the school year. Leelah felt very isolated, and following her parents’ refusal to allow her to transition, walked in front of a truck and was struck dead. 

One of the sorriest things about the tragic affair was the reaction of her parents: though of course they mourned her loss, they continued to very publicly misgender her - even after her death, and in complete defiance of her passionate suicide note. In response this, the Alcorns noted that “We don't support that, religiously” but added that “We loved him unconditionally. We loved him no matter what. I loved my son. People need to know that I loved him. He was a good kid, a good boy.” 

Yes, Leelah’s parents loved her. It is clear also, however, that they did not support her; it is tragically apparent in Carla Alcorn’s statement that Leelah’s parents fail to understand the true meaning of “unconditionally”. 

However sad the situation, though, the actions of Alcorn’s parents must be seen in the wider context of the matter - they did not act appropriately, but for all that we can wish it not so, nor did 

One of the most positive things in the wake of the tragedy is the huge media support shown both for Leelah and the trans community at large - mass vigils in Columbus and London, top-trending hashtags #LeelahAlcorn and #RealLiveTransAdult, widespread discussion in the media, and a 62,000 signature petition to the White House against conversion therapy. Alcorn was the recipient of dedications for both Ray Toro’s song “For the Lost and Brave” and Jill Soloway’s Golden Globe for television series “Transparent” - which deals with a father who comes out as transgender to his adult children.

That’s exactly the kind of awareness and change that Leelah pleaded for in her suicide note - but there’s still a long way to go. Over 50% of transgender youths attempt suicide before age 20. Over two thirds of transgender people experience homelessness. 72% of LGBT homicide victims in 2013 were transgender women.

"The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren't treated the way I was, they're treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights," Alcorn wrote. "Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say 'that’s fucked up' and fix it. Fix society. Please.”

Tuition Fees: What are we really paying for?

It’s old news now that the government decided to make our tuition fees rise to up to a whopping £9000 a year. But as a student who will be applying to university at the end of this year, I’m still wondering why I should have to pay such a hefty price tag.

When you look at the cost of living away from home while at University, it’s clear to see that it’s not cheap. According to NUS, the average cost of studying in London costs £23,521 a year, with over £13,000 being spent on living costs. With the average annual student income (loans and funding) being £17,450, you’ll need to find £6,071 to cover the shortfall. I’m already worried.

But my main concern is this: what will I actually be getting out of the £9,000 I’m paying each year? This is where the issue of “contact hours” comes into play. “Contact hours” are the number of hours spent (per year) in lectures and seminars, and are published by universities as part of their Key Information Set (KIS). To give an example, I looked on Unistats at the KIS for a BA (Hons) in English Language at the University of Sussex and found that only 16% of my time would be spent in lectures and seminars. But it’s the same across many other universities: for a similar course at the University of Chester, 17% of your time is spent in lectures and seminars; at the University of York, you’d only spend 13% of your time in lectures and seminars for a BA in Language and Linguistics. Of course, courses such as Biology, Drama and Art will have a higher number of contact hours. But even for Biology, you’re still looking at spending only 30% of your time at Uni. Is it really fair to make us students pay this much for so little? I don’t think so.

So, whilst I’m already concerned about how much of my own money I’ll have to find to live at university, I’m equally concerned about where this £9,000 a year is actually going. Personally, I don’t think it’s fair that we should have to pay so much for so few contact hours and to study something that we love. And that is why I think that it’s about time that tuition fees were reduced for good.

By Lauren Moon

The Changing World of YA Literature

A look at why the amount teenagers read has increased and why you should join them. By Chloe Dench

According to some media reports, the number of young adults reading has increased dramatically in the past few years. This is fairly shocking, as we teenagers these days have so many entertainment sources competing for our attention. But what exactly is causing us to turn off our screens (at least temporarily) to switch our attention to what could be considered old fashioned entertainment?

Maybe it’s the fact that reading really isn’t old fashioned anymore. E-readers and online fiction have brought the world of literature to the modern world. Like with films or music, e-readers mean you can now have books at your fingertips 24/7, making it not only easier to buy books, but also to carry them or to read more quickly. However, the figures for young adults reading have not shown such a clear increase since the creation of e-readers. Some studies show that our age group actually read less online than older age groups. For me, as much as I love the convenience of my kindle for instant downloads and reading on the go, nothing beats a real book. In terms of quality and ease of sharing, not to mention the significantly lower price, real books win every time.

So if it’s not the introduction of e-readers that has got more young adults reading, what is it? Maybe it is the power of social media and internet presences. Most of you will have at least heard of John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, a book that undoubtedly would not have achieved the success it has done without his YouTube success or online fans sharing his work. Social media allows readers to connect with each other and with authors in a new way. An author releasing sneak previews can tempt readers to read on or buy the next book in the series. 

Social media has also changed who can become an author. Obviously, anybody could choose to write a novel, but the chances of getting it published in the traditional way are quite slim unless you are an established author. It’s hard to ignore the ‘online presences’ getting book deals these days; bloggers, vloggers etc. are all getting in on the action and causing a lot of controversy in the process. Zoe Sugg, aka Zoella, received huge backlash after rumours that her book was ghost-written. It’s clear that publishers only offer these online celebrities book deals to sell to a wider audience, but if this is part of the reason more of us are reading these days, it shouldn’t be seen as such a bad thing. 

As a Literature student, I am a bit biased towards the benefits of reading, but I’m not the only one who thinks reading more can only be a good thing. Mark Zuckerberg, has pledged to read at least 25 books this year. If even the creator of Facebook thinks it’s a good idea to spend more free time reading, what’s stopping you? 

Face Mask - Home Remedy

How to remove black heads, and troublesome skin. 

Are you having trouble with annoying black heads, and un wanted spots? Well, I've found the perfect, simple and easy home remedy make to help remove teenage skin problems. 

Step 1: 

Take 1/2 a lemon and squeeze  it into a small bowl.  The amount of lemon depends on how many people you are making it for. 

Step 2:

Now add 2 table spoons of baking soda, and mix into the lemon to create a thick paste. 

Once you have made your paste, apply to skin for 20minutes. Avoid getting it into your eyes or mouth, as I can imagine it stings, and I'm sure it doesn't taste like a 5* meal either! 

If you want to see more, check out;

                         Www.Allthingsplainandsimple.wordpress.com

Tonight Alive—London Koko 26th November 2014 review

Starting with the ‘The Edge’ a song featured in the new movie ‘The Amazing spider man 2’ the Australian band, Tonight Alive opened their  second London show on the 26th of November.

The band had chosen ‘Chunk, No! Captain Chunk!’ and ‘The Summer Set’  to open for them, a wise choice as most of the crowd had heard one or more of the songs.

Many of the crowd had seen the band since they had came on the music scene 7 years ago (2008) had said that it was one of the best gig’s they had been to. “Having first seen tonight alive a few years ago in a very small venue it is amazing to see the evolution of them. A really fun gig!”- Jenny Mercury (crowd member at the London Koko gig).

The band before their own gig’s had widened their fanbase by touring with bands such as ‘You Me At Six’ and ‘All Time Low’.

All together the band never missed a beat and even brought tears to some of the fans eyes during the song ‘Amelia’ which was written about a childhood friend of the vocalist Jenna McDougal On an interview Jenna revealed that Amelia died in a ski trip accident. She felt regretful that they had lost contact so she wrote the song but still felt like she "owed her so much more".

All together I would definitely go see the great band again and hope to see them playing bigger gigs in the future and maybe headline a festival one day.

ARE WE CHARLIE?

A dissection by Madeleine Bishop of some of the impact of the Charlie Hebdo shootings, not just on the French people or our freedom of speech, but on the Muslim community. 

The Charlie Hebdo shooting, on the 7th of January, was a violent and appalling act of terrorism that resulted in the death of twelve: ten employees, mostly cartoonists, and two police officers. In related acts over the following two days, five more people died at the hands of accomplices. 

The media uprising in the wake of the shooting was passionate and spectacular, culminating in unity marches across France, with over 1.6 million protestors just in Paris; 40 world leaders attended to show their support. 

All of the above is true, but it is not the whole story. It is easy to latch onto the media’s spin and accept it as ultimate truth - while intelligent, critical discussion can still reveal hidden depths to something that at first seems black and white. Let me make this clear: the “je suis kouachi” hashtag on twitter was appalling. I thoroughly condemn these acts of terrorism. I wholeheartedly agree that in democratic, secular society there is a necessity for constant, even offensive criticism of every institution, with satire, good satire, being the best vehicle for this - but there is something of a double standard in the French consciousness. 

When the French people marched to the Place de la Nation from the Place de la Republique, they marched not just for Charlie - they marched for a concept called Laïcité, the separation of religion from the public sphere to the point that crucifix necklaces and, rather more intrusively, the hijab are banned from schools. I am entirely for secularity - there is no place for the entwining of sin and crime in democracy - but there seems to me a contradiction in the French marching not just for freedom of speech, but essentially for the restriction of freedom of religious expression. 

Controversial comic Dieudonne M'bala M’bala was prosecuted for “inciting hatred” when producing very much the same content as Charlie Hebdo - but focused on mocking Jews. Where exactly lies the difference between the prosecuted and the revered? Charlie Hebdo is defended tirelessly - and while, yes, satire is meant to draw blood, and yes of course ideas and dogma should be challenged, satire is also supposed to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable” - and in the Muslim-wary Europe of today, who exactly is the comfortable? I’d be much more inclined to point towards those who sit in their thrones of xenophobia than a Muslim who happens to share the name of their god with a handful of horrible, violent extremists, as well as 1.8 billion other peaceful followers. Might I remind you that the KKK acts under the name of Christianity - as does the Westborough Baptist Church and as did the Nazis. And where do you see ordinary Christians being held accountable for the gassing and lynching and picketing by Christian extremists?

Yes, freedom of speech is incredibly important. But there is a point at which freedom of speech should not ethically justify horrible, pointed offence. Not that Charlie Hebdo is the Nazi Party: but take this extreme example - the hundreds of comics and children books and posters produced by Nazis mocking Jews (stereotypically large noses, huge black robes, stacks of money) and blaming them for problems far beyond any ordinary Jewish person’s control. Or perhaps the horrible grinning faces that make for the KKK’s interpretation of any Black person. Now put them in the context of Germany in 1936, or 1950’s America. Surely there is a point at which freedom of speech becomes unjustified, cruel and appallingly offensive? There is no need to fetishize it: just because we can say something, doesn’t mean we should. Of course anyone has the right to draw the Prophet Mohammed and associate it directly with the extremist actions of individuals who do not represent his peaceful teachings, and his billions of peaceful followers worldwide - many of whom happen to be ardently opposed to the depiction of their religious leader full stop - but is that really satire? Is it comforting the afflicted? Or is it just feeding into a larger mainstream of prejudice - prejudice itself the institution really worthy of being criticised and mocked. 

As Europe steadily swings to the right, we can only fear that there will be further gains on the part of the Islamophobic, searching desperately for a nice, general and easily accessible group of people to neatly blame for both terrorism and the perceived problems of immigration. Does it matter if they’ve been living in Britain or France for generations, and are absolutely contributors to their society? To some people, not a jot. 

The protests of the 12th of January were an incredible show of support, and commendable - but where are the 40 world leaders publicly protesting the thousands of deaths in Syria and Gaza? Many of them directly or indirectly at the hands of the West, who drew the Sykes-Picot line, trained Al-Qaeda and even now stand back as Israeli drone-warfare continues. The Paris march was a beautiful thing, but that beautiful thing should be happening in the name of many, many other causes besides.

Following the Sydney hostage crisis back in early December, #illridewithyou went viral: a preventative measure by conscientious members of the community who feared a backlash of anti-Muslim sentiment, offering support to Muslims travelling alone who might be threatened. The hashtag was inspired by a Facebook post about someone offering to walk with a woman who had felt threatened enough to remove her headscarf. This kind of drawing together of the community is exactly the sentiment required to face off hashtags like #jesuiskouachi and pave a way to a better, freer, more tolerant future.